Automatic grain-meter



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J; 0. KING.

} AUTOMATIC GRAIN METER. No. 361,878. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

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AUTOMATIC GRAIN METER. v ,No. 361,878. Patented Apr. 26, 1887 .nnlllllw WIN/E8858 INVENTO/f A 104 am; a m a 4 @412 &WM

- Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, I

JACOB 0. KING, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,878, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed September 2, 1886. Serial No. 212,549. (ModeLl .T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB 0. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Grain-Meters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its objects to provide an improved apparatus for automatically weighing grain as it is delivered from a storage apartment or receptacle, as more fully hereinafter specified. These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of my apparatus, showing the parts in position for discharging the grain after the same has been weighed. Fig, 2 represents a view of the apparatus in side elevation, showing the parts in position to receive the grain to be weighed. .Fig. 3 represents a plan View of the apparatus, the chute, the hopper, and the register being omitted to show the vertically adjustable frame; Fig. 4, a detached view of the feedspout and mechanism for cont-rolling the delivery of the grain to scale-hopper, and Fig. 5a detached view of a portion of the scale adjusting mechanism.

The letter Aindicates the main or supporting frame of the apparatus, which is provided with brackets B on opposite sides, having knife-edged or angular bearings O for the lower ends of the uprights D of the scale-frame E.- The said scale-frame E is provided with a scale-beam, F, upon which is secured the sliding collar G, to which the weight H is attached. The scale-frame is provided with knife-edged or angular bearings I, upon which swing thelugs K of the grain-hopper L. The

. scale-frame, at one side, is provided with an extension or arm, M, which engages a bent arm, N, secured to a lever, P, fulcrurned to the feed-chute R, leading from the storage-apartment of the grain. The said lever, at its lower end, is provided with a valve, S, which works under a seat, T, at the lower end of the feedchute, so as to open and close the same, as more fully hereinafter explained. The said valve is located at one end of a valve-arm, U,

which is pivoted to the lower end of the lever P. The valve-arm U serves to keep the valve up closely in contact with the lower end of the chute R without the use of a spring, and at the same time allow a limited vibration to the valve.

The letter V indicates a frame having vertical standards W, adapted to move in ways formed in guides X, the upperguides forming part of the brackets B, and the lower ones part of the brackets Z, attached to the main frame A. The frame V is provided with a cross-bar, A, over which extends one end of a bent arm, B, which is secured to the valve 0, extending under the opening of the hopper, and which opens and closes the same. The said valve is attached to pivoted arms D at each side of the same, so as to swing under the opening above mentioned, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

It will be observed that, the arm B. being hooked on the cross-bar of the stationary but verticallyadjustable frame V and connected to the valve 0, and the latter connected by arms D,pivoted to the sides of the verticallyvmovable hopper, when the hopper descends,

the valve 0 will be withdrawn from the discharge-passage of the hopper, and when the latter rises the valve will be caused to close said passage.

The forward standard of the main frame is provided with a vertically sliding bar, E, which .at its upper end has a right-angled extension or arm, F, falling directly under the free end of the scale-beam in such position that said beam will drop on it when the grain is discharged from the hopper and the weight relieved therefrom. This bar E serves to receive the beam and act as a buffer thereto to relieve the parts of the machinery from the shock which would otherwise occur. Surrounding the bar E is a spiral spring, G, which serves to hold the said bar to a normal or upward position, and the lower end of the said bar is beveled and provided with a detent, H, which is adapted to catch under a latch, I, so as to hold it down when fully depressed.

The letter K indicates a rod which has its forward end extending through an openingin the forward beam of the main frame, just below the latch before mentioned, and its rear end connected with a lever, L, fulcrumed to the scale-supporting frame in such position that its rear arm will be engaged by a lug, M, on the weighing-hopper when the same is depressed,so as to press the rod forward and allow the vertical rod to assume its position as a buffer when the scale-beam falls.

The scale-frame at one side is provided with a pivoted pawl, N, which engages a ratchet in an ordinary registering device, 1?, so as to indicate the quantity of grain weighed, ranging from units to thousands.

To the vertically-moving frame the rear ends of a bifurcated lever, B, are loosely secured, the said lever being fulcrumed between standards S, secured to the main frame A. The forward end of said lever is bifurcated, as indicated by the letter S, and embraces a sliding nut on the screw-threaded vertical shaft T,

journaled in bearings at the forward part of the apparatus. The said lever at its forward end is provided with a pointer or index,whieh moves in front of a scale, U, on the forward upright of the main frame, so that the scaleframe and its beam may be set and regulated to weigh different quantities of grain, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

It will be observed from the above description that the weighing-hopper is suspended by knife-edges from the scale-frame E, and that this frame is mounted by its uprights D upon knife-edges secured to the brackets B, which are rigid with the upper part of the frame A. It will also be observed that the frame V is vertically adjustable by means of the screw T, and that it can be adjusted higher or lower, and when adjusted it is rigidly held, so that in the process of weighing the hopper will rest firmly upon it when down, as shown in Fig. 1. \Vhen the weight H on the scale-beam is moved toward its outer end to weigh alarge quantity of grain, it is necessary to depress the frame V in order that the hopper may be permitted to fall a greater distance below and beyond its fulcrum-point, so as to entirely discharge its load of grain before it is overbalanced and restored to its normal position by the scale-beam and its weight. In weighing asmall quantity of grain it is obvious that the weight on the scale-beam must be moved toward the hopper, and in order that thehopper maybe instantly restored to its normal position after its load of grain has been discharged the frame 'V must be elevated a sufficient distance to permit the scale-beam and its weight to overbalance it the moment the grain has all discharged itself. This adjustment of the said frame V is effected by means of the adjusting-screw T and its connections with the frame V.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the grain-supplying chute and the grain-weighing hopper, of the extension on the scale-frame supporting the hopper and the scale-beam, the lever and valve on the supplying-chute, the arm whereby said lever and valve are operated to supply the grain to the hopper, the vertically-adjustable frame V, lever It, slotted at its rear end and provided with a pointer, and an adj ustingscrew, T, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the grain-chute, the lever fulcrumed thereto, having a valve-rod at its lower end, and the valve and its seat, the rod being bent so as to limit the movement of the valve to prevent the binding of the grain in its passage outward from the chute, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the scale-frame and its beam, of the buffer-rod and the mechanism for holding it normally and then releasing it to bring it into action,substantially as specified.

4. The combination,with the scale-frame and the weighing-hopper, of the scale-beam and weight secured to the said beam, and the vertical frame and oscillating frame connected therewith, and the adjusting mechanism and index, whereby the scale-beam and adjustable frame may be arranged relatively to each other to weigh different quantities of grain, substantially as specified.

5. The combination,with the scale-frame, its beam, weight, and hopper, of the valve U S. and lever P, and arm N,whereby the valve of the chute is operated to discharge the grain into the hopper at proper intervals to be weighed, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB O. RING.

\Vituesses:

Cans. D. DAVIS, H. J. ENNIs. 

